Saturday, March 16, 2013

Final result of CSW for 2013



Report on this years Commission on the Status of Women ( CSW )

The elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls

Agreed conclusions


Word counts
Final Document – 15 March 2013
Reproductive health = 9          Reproductive rights = 2
Sexual orientation = 0            Marriage – minimum age = 2
Forced marriage = 2              Sexualiy education = 1
Masculinities = 0                  Father =0
Mother – young = 1             Abortion – forced = 1
Abortion – safe = 1

Compilation text as of 25 Feb 2013
Reproductive Health = 11      Reproductive rights =4
Sexual orientation=5             Marriage – early =4
Marriage – forced=3             Sexuality education=2
Father =0                              Mother  - child = 1
Abortion forced = 2            Abortion – safe = 1


Final text  - 15 March 2013

Reproductive wording
ee bis)  Expand the availability of health-care services, and in particular, strengthen maternal and reproductive health centres, as key entry points that provide support, referrals to services and protection to families, women and girls at risk of violence, especially sexual violence, and which provide support to adolescents in order to avoid early and unintended pregnancies and sexually-transmitted infections, through education, information and access to sexual and reproductive health-care services;

Note – We were unhappy that this new phrase “ maternal and reproductive health centres “ was included.

9 ter The Commission recognizes that violence against women has both short- and long-term adverse consequences on their health, including their sexual and reproductive health, and the enjoyment of their human rights, and that respecting, promoting sexual and reproductive health, and protecting and fulfilling reproductive rights, in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences, is a necessary condition to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women to enable them to enjoy all their human rights and fundamental freedoms, and to prevent and mitigate violence against women.
Note – We would have like a reference to the Report of ICPD  instead of the Programme of Action. The former included reservations.

d) : Ensure that in armed conflict and post-conflict situations the prevention of and response to all forms of violence against women and girls, including sexual and gender-based violence, are prioritized and effectively addressed, including as appropriate through the investigation, prosecution and punishment of perpetrators to end impunity, removal of barriers to women's access to justice, the establishment of complaint and reporting mechanisms, the provision of support to victims and survivors, affordable and accessible health care services, including sexual and reproductive health, and reintegration measures; and take steps to increase women’s participation in conflict resolution and peacebuilding processes and post-conflict decision-making;

n)         Promote and protect the human rights of all women including their right to have control over and decide freely and responsibly on matters related to their sexuality, including sexual and reproductive health, free of coercion, discrimination and violence; and adopt and accelerate the implementation of laws, policies and programmes which protect and enable the enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including their reproductive rights, in accordance with the Programme of Action of International Conference on Population and Development, the Beijing Platform for Action and their review outcomes.

Note – Too much emphasis on rights

aa) Establish comprehensive, coordinated, inter-disciplinary, accessible and sustained multisectoral services, programmes and responses at all levels, and with the support of all available technologies, for all victims and survivors of all forms of violence against women and girls based on their needs, that are adequately resourced and include effective and coordinated action by, as appropriate, police and the justice sector, legal aid services, health-care services, including sexual and reproductive health, and medical, psychological and other counselling services, including specialist services as appropriate, State and independent women’s shelters and counselling centers, 24-hour hotlines, social aid services, one stop crisis centers, immigration services, child services, public housing services to provide low threshold, easy to reach and safe assistance for women and children, as well as assistance, protection and support through access to long term accommodation, educational, employment and economic opportunities, and take steps to ensure the safety and security of health care workers and service providers that assist and support victims and survivors of violence, and in cases of girl child victims, such services and responses must take into account the best interests of the child;

dd)      Address all health consequences including the physical, mental and sexual and reproductive health consequences, of violence against women and girls by providing accessible health-care services that are responsive to trauma and include affordable, safe, effective and good-quality medicines, first line support, treatment of injuries and psychosocial and mental health support, emergency contraception, safe abortion where such services are permitted by national law, post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV infection, diagnosis and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, training for medical professionals to effectively identify and treat women subjected to violence, as well as forensic examinations by appropriately trained professionals;

Note – Not abortion related , HIV context.

w ter   Accelerate efforts to address the intersection of HIV and AIDS and violence against all women and girls, in particular the common risk factors, including through strategies to address domestic and sexual violence, and to strengthen coordination and integration of policies, programmes and services to address the intersection between HIV and violence against women and girls, and ensure that responses to HIV and AIDS are leveraged to prevent violence against them, while meeting their specific needs for sexual and reproductive health care services, as well as HIV and AIDS diagnosis, affordable and accessible treatment and prevention, including procurement and supply of safe and effective prevention commodities, including male and female condoms;

Note – Note abortion related – AIDS context

Sexuality Education
t: Develop and implement educational programmes and teaching materials, including comprehensive evidence-based education for human sexuality, based on full and accurate information, for all adolescents and youth, in a manner consistent with their evolving capacities, with the appropriate direction and guidance from parents and legal guardians, with the involvement of children, adolescents, youth and communities, and in coordination with women’s, youth and specialized non-governmental organizations, in order to modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women of all ages, to eliminate prejudices, and to promote and build informed decision-making, communication and risk reduction skills for the development of respectful relationships and, based on gender equality and human rights, as well as teacher education and training programmes for both formal and non-formal education.

Note – some mention of parents , would have liked more.


Final Note – A Chairman’s text magically appeared at 6.30pm on Friday 15 March. Some delegates read out reservations , but we were locked out of the room an

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